How much is your personal data worth?

A pop-up data café was established as an experiment to gauge the price shoppers would place on their personal data.

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How much is your personal data worth? This summer, Kaspersky Lab, makers of IT security software, conducted an experiment to try and find out. They opened the world’s first shop allowing customers to pay for goods with personal data. The company had London street artist Ben Eine create a limited-edition design, which was printed onto mugs, t-shirts and original prints. To receive their chosen item, customers had to hand over photos or screenshots of WhatsApp, SMS and email conversations. To receive the print, customers had to hand their phone to a member of staff, who would then select either five photos or three screenshots of their choice. The pop-up shop was opened for just two days, and was designed more as a thought experiment than a shopping opportunity. But it was also a chance for people to think about the ways in which they give information away for free every day.